If you have a universal dispute with a coin dealer, coin organization or collector you may be considering having a lawyer file a coin lawsuit.

But universally, coin lawsuits can and often should be an action of last resort.

If your dispute is of a relatively small amount, it probably is not worth having a lawyer work on it for $200 or more an hour. Lawyers that work on 40-50% contingency fees often do not handle a small matter if it is not lucrative enough.

For more high priced disputes, there are still many viable options to litigation to consider.

Be aware that lawsuits often take two years or more from filing to judgment. Even cases that settle can take 1-2 years or more to resolve. For many people, a quicker and more sure resolution is desired or even needed.

First and foremost, you should always contact directly the person or organization manager you have a dispute with.

Most larger companies have a customer service hotline or email address for this very purpose. Do not complain to an operator or staff member without trying to reach a true decision maker (manager or owner) who has the authority and wisdom to deal with your issues in a constructive manner.

If you and the organization’s manager cannot agree, there are universal alternatives to coin lawsuits.

You might contact the Better Business Bureau in the hometown of the organization you are in dispute with.

The BBB helps swiftly resolve many customer disputes. Many BBB members also pledge to arbitrate disputes that are not easily resolved. Various consumer guides recommend consumers use the BBB as a resource.

If you ordered from an advertisement in a publication you might consider contacting their customer service department. Many coin publication’s customer service departments help consumers with disputes with advertisers quickly and efficiently.

If the person you have a dispute with is a member of a trade organization, that organization may provide a method of dispute resolution that proves useful and succinct.

If the other person is still being unreasonable and you have exhausted the above avenues, you might want to contact their state’s attorney general.

By now, you may have decided that a quality trial lawyer could be a great asset.

Check out your prospective lawyer’s credentials and references prior to retaining. See if the lawyer is board certified and in good standing with the state bar. Check out the Better Business Bureau rating. Basically check out many of the same things you should check out about your coin dealer. Choose a lawyer you are comfortable with as he is your confidant and advocate for a while.

Once you’ve chosen an attorney, you might first opt to have your lawyer write a demand letter to your adversary. This often inexpensively and quickly gets a response.

If this does not bring the desired response, it is probably time to talk to your lawyer and have him advise you about any other legal options including litigation.

Be prepared for a two year or more adventure which may include court appearances, discovery questions and probably a deposition under oath. If the attorney works on contingency, carefully calculate what you might have been offered against what you might recover minus your lawyer’s fair fee. Make sure the time, hassles and expenses of litigation are worth the potential benefits to you.

By the way, if you end up having serious issues with your lawyer, the State Bar or Better Business Bureau can usually help with that dispute resolution.

MikeFuljenz.com